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The prime minister still refuses to set a timeline on any trans-Tasmania travel bubble, but says work is still going on.
Starting Saturday, New Zealanders will be able to fly directly to Queensland when the state loosens its borders.
Trans-Tasmania travel bubble: Ardern says work is still going on
Jacinda Ardern said officials are still working to allow Australians to come here without 14 days of administered isolation.
“We are working hard on it, it will make a huge difference for New Zealand, not only economically, but there are such close social connections,” he said.
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But she refuses to say if this would be in place before Christmas.
“I’ve never put schedules on it because of course the schedules, people reserve their lives around it, they make plans, so I want to make sure that every time we give that cue I have the certainty of firm dates attached,” he said. .
Ardern said Australia’s state-by-state approach had complicated planning for an outbreak.
Jono Searle / Getty Images
Grandpa Cole meets his grandson Ted for the first time, with his daughter Lauren, after both Ted and Lauren arrived on the first flight from Melbourne since the Queensland border was reopened in Brisbane, Australia.
“That means New Zealand would have to decide whether or not we would close our border in an outbreak, depending on how other states react.
“We want to make sure that all those protocols, what we do in the event of an outbreak, are predetermined before we start traveling, so we are well prepared.”
Ardern said he was optimistic but did not comment on speculation that it could be in effect in February.
“I know people want to restart that journey, but we want to do it safely. I don’t want to take risks that jeopardize the freedoms we have, but I am hopeful that sometime in the near future we can give some more certainty about of when the opening will occur “.
